Colton Hartman, a 6‑foot‑3 left‑handed pitcher, has officially joined the West Virginia University baseball program after completing a transfer from the Louisville Cardinals. The move comes as the Mountaineers look to replenish a rotation that lost several senior arms to the professional draft.
A Strategic Addition for the Mountaineers
During his recent stint with Louisville, Hartman made 11 starts and appeared in 14 games, posting a 4‑2 record and a 5.91 ERA. Over 45.2 innings he struck out 56 batters, including a season‑high seven strikeouts in two separate outings.
His collegiate trajectory shows a clear upward trend. As a true freshman he posted a 3.70 ERA with 37 strikeouts in 12 appearances, and in his sophomore year he earned the 2023 Southwest Ohio Baseball Coaches Association Pitcher of the Year honor after a 6‑2 season with a 1.18 ERA and 88 strikeouts in 53 innings.
High school highlights include a seven‑inning no‑hitter with 15 strikeouts, underscoring his ability to dominate opposing lineups. Those performances caught the attention of several Power Four programs, with WVU emerging as a top contender before he ultimately chose the Mountaineers.
Hartman arrives in Morgantown as the program’s fifth transfer pitcher and second left‑handed arm this offseason. He is expected to compete directly for a starting spot, especially as the team prepares for the potential departure of Maxx Yehl and Dawson Montesa, both of whom are eligible for the MLB Draft.
The addition of Hartman follows the earlier commitment of Tennessee transfer Cash Williams, signaling a focused effort by West Virginia to rebuild a pitching staff that helped the team reach the College World Series semifinals last season.